They were attempting to leave Talkalakh and enter Lebanon, which borders the town, a day after a demonstration there demanded the removal of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad from power.
An eyewitness on the border told Al Jazeera that at least 19 people were wounded as the military swooped into the town, after more than 8,000 people attended the funeral in provincial capital Homs of one of three protesters killed on Friday by Syrian security forces.
Mourners for Fouad al-Rajoub gathered near Bab al-Dreib and began making their way through the city chanting for an end to the siege on Homs, Baniyas and Deraa, the major flashpoints in the uprising.
An eyewitness in the city said that, due to the size of the procession, the military had removed and relocated some of the checkpoints it had established throughout the city since mass anti-regime protests erupted there last month.
"Everything is peaceful now but we will be passing government buildings and I fear the snipers will open fire on us," he said.
Syrian army personnel were deployed in Talkalakh after officials said troops and tanks were pulled out of Baniyas and Deraa.
Security barriers were set up at the entrances of the Talkalakh and heavy gunfire was heard, according to activists' accounts. Security forces were deployed in surrounding villages as well
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